This month’s survey focusing on our readers’ personal financial situations finds them decidedly optimistic, with a large majority saying their finances have gotten better and that they expect that trend to continue. Yet a dark cloud looms on the horizon: funding their retirement.

In this they aren’t alone. The 910 respondents to our survey, conducted by research partner Conkling Fiskum & McCormick, mirror the angst of the over-40 population nationwide.

According to an AARP study, 68% of baby boomers plan to work beyond traditional retirement age, mostly because they need the money. Of all adults surveyed, three-quarters say saving for their retirement years is very important, but only 35% feel very confident that they will have enough money to live comfortably throughout their retirement years. Other findings:

28% of workers and 12% of retirees say they are not confident about having enough money in retirement to pay for their medical expenses.

40% of workers and 33% of retirees say they are not confident in their ability to take care of long-term care expenses should they occur during their retirement.

15% of workers and 9% of retirees are not even confident they will have enough to take care of their basic expenses.

One-third of the workers in the national survey have not saved any money for their retirement; 26% admitted they aren’t sure they know how to determine how much money they will need to live comfortably in retirement.

And if they have saved, it’s pretty modest: Half of the workers’ households have less than $25,000 in their savings and investments, excluding the value of their primary residence. Why? It’s hard to save, they say, because of insufficient income, high everyday expenses and a bad economy. It is also evident from the AARP study that workers are counting on employer-provided benefits for their retirement.

BY LINDA BAKER

Market of Choice is on a tear. In 2012 the 35-year-old Eugene-based grocery chain opened a central kitchen/distribution center in its hometown. The market opened its third Portland store in the Cedar Mill neighborhood this year; another outpost in Bend broke ground in March. A fourth Portland location is slated for the inner southeast “LOCA” development, a mixed-use project featuring condos and retail. Revenues in 2014 were $175 million, a double-digit increase over 2013. CEO Rick Wright discusses growth, market trends and how he keeps new “foodie” grocery clerks happy.

BY STUART WATSON

BY JON SHADEL

The technology industry is always in flux. And this rapid rate of change poses challenges to companies ranging from nimble startups aiming to make their mark to established organizations fighting to remain relevant. This is particularly true in the competitive digital display market, where an Oregon company has been at the forefront of nearly every major breakthrough in the last three decades.

Press Releases

Robert S. Wiggins has joined Lane Powell as a Shareholder in the Corporate/M&A Practice Group. Wiggins is a well-known lawyer, entrepreneur, and investor with more than 30 years of experience leading and advising established and emerging companies in the Pacific Northwest. Wiggins will focus his practice on offering outside general counsel services, including general corporate and board representation, business transactions and capital events.